Studying in Malta
An English-speaking EU and Schengen island system with programmes across the University of Malta and MFHEA-licensed providers. Immigration rules differ sharply by course level: confirm your MQF/MQRIC status before relying on student work rights.
16 of 16 sections confirmed against their official source. Last confirmed 2026-08-08.
Overview
Malta is an English- and Maltese-speaking EU member in the Schengen area and eurozone. The University of Malta is the main public university, alongside MCAST, ITS and private providers licensed by the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority (MFHEA).
For non-EU students, course level matters: residence and work rules depend on whether the course qualifies under the higher-education framework and whether the qualification is recognised by MQRIC. Check the specific programme, not just the institution, before building a work or immigration plan around it.
Source: https://mfhea.mt/
Study System
Malta uses the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF), aligned with the European qualifications framework. For the standard higher-education Study residence route, Identità's current guidance focuses on full-time courses at MQF level 5 or higher offered by an MFHEA-licensed institution, with the qualification recognised by MQRIC.
This distinction also affects employment. A recognised full-time higher-education student may access the first-year 20-hour work route; other courses can fall under different visa/employment rules. Before paying a deposit, verify the provider in the MFHEA register and the qualification with MQRIC, and confirm the exact immigration category with Identità.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/expatriates/non-eu-non-employment/study/
Visa & Immigration
Visa-required third-country nationals need the appropriate education-purpose national visa before travelling for a long course. The Study residence permit is then handled in Malta through Identità; the residence-permit application fee is EUR 50, while the visa charge is separate.
For the residence permit, Identità asks for the previous three months of bank statements or money-transfer receipts and sufficient funds for the whole study period. The official benchmark is at least 60% of the national equivalised income threshold, calculated according to household size and pro-rated for shorter study. Identità explicitly says the exact amount cannot be confirmed in advance because each case is assessed on its documents.
Most applicants who must provide private insurance need medical treatment and hospitalisation cover of at least EUR 100,000 valid for the required period. Students at the University of Malta, MCAST and the Institute of Tourism Studies are exempt from this private-insurance requirement under Identità's current rules.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/expatriates/non-eu-non-employment/general-queries/
Residence Permit
Study residence applications are made while the applicant is in Malta through Identità's Expatriates process. Visa-exempt third-country nationals must submit within three months of entry; visa-required students should enter with the correct education-purpose visa.
A Study residence permit is normally issued for one year when a course is longer than a year, with annual renewal, or for the course duration when it is shorter. The Study application fee is EUR 50. An interim application receipt is not a travel document, so do not plan re-entry around it while the residence card is still pending.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/expatriates/non-eu-non-employment/general-queries/
Healthcare
Since 1 August 2024, Identità requires most Study residence-permit applicants who need private insurance to hold a policy with at least EUR 100,000 coverage for medical treatment, including outpatient care and hospitalisation in Malta and, where necessary, other European countries. The policy must cover the relevant study/residence period.
Students pursuing courses at the University of Malta, MCAST or the Institute of Tourism Studies are exempt from this private-insurance requirement under the current Identità rule. EU students should separately check their EHIC and residence position.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/expatriates-unit-main-page/noneu-nationals/non-employment-permits/new-required-documents/
Insurance
Where private insurance is required for a Study residence permit, Identità's current minimum is EUR 100,000 and the policy must cover medical treatment, outpatient care and hospitalisation in Malta and, if necessary, elsewhere in Europe.
The University of Malta, MCAST and ITS exemption applies to the Study permit stage; if you later move to a post-study category, re-check the insurance requirements because the student exemption may no longer apply.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/expatriates-unit-main-page/noneu-nationals/non-employment-permits/new-required-documents/
Housing
Malta's private rental market varies substantially by locality and season, so treat online price ranges as examples rather than national facts. Start early near the main study areas, but verify the property and landlord before paying.
For a Study residence application, a private rental normally requires a signed lease with full property and party details, Housing Authority registration/approval and the applicable Lease Agreement Attestation documentation. Institutional accommodation and ownership situations can follow different evidence rules.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/expatriates/non-eu-non-employment/study/
Bank Accounts
A Maltese account opens with passport, the residence document and proof of address; the banks run student accounts, though account-opening can be slower than the fintech-friendly reputation suggests, so start early. Euro throughout.
Revolut-class accounts are widely used among students meanwhile; a local account helps with Jobsplus-registered work.
Source: https://www.centralbankmalta.org/en/home
Taxes
Student earnings in Jobsplus-licensed work run through payroll with social contributions; modest incomes attract limited tax after allowances. The 20-hour cap and the licence process keep student work orderly and its tax simple.
Keep the Jobsplus licence and payslips with your permit file for renewals.
Source: https://cfr.gov.mt/en/Pages/Home.aspx
Transportation
A personalised Tallinja card gives free travel on Malta Public Transport day routes, night routes and specified special services, and includes specified Valletta ferry services and the Barrakka Lift. It does not make every mobility service free: Tallinja Direct routes, On Demand services and other excluded services remain chargeable.
There is no national rail network, so buses, ferries, walking and taxis/ride-hailing do most of the work. Always check the current route and fare category in the Tallinja app or Malta Public Transport site.
Source: https://www.publictransport.com.mt/rates-offers-local/
Phone & Internet
Malta has broad mobile and fixed-broadband availability, but plan prices and data allowances change quickly. Compare current offers from licensed providers when you arrive rather than treating an old monthly price range as a stable student cost.
Check coverage and installation timing for the exact address before signing a long lease if reliable home connectivity is important for your course.
Source: https://www.mca.org.mt/
Student Life
Malta's student life is Mediterranean and outdoors: the Sliema-St Julian's strip for nightlife, the swimming and diving that a warm sea allows most of the year, and Valletta's baroque compactness. The international-student and English-language-school population makes for an easy social entry, and the iGaming workforce keeps the island young and multinational.
Village festas punctuate the summer, and Gozo is a slow-paced weekend away; the scale means the whole island is your campus.
Source: https://www.study-abroad.org/blog/mt-student-visa-guide/
Language
Everything in higher education and daily life runs in English, an official language alongside Maltese, which removes the language barrier that complicates study elsewhere. Maltese, a Semitic language written in Latin script and unique to the island, is worth a little effort for the warmth it earns but is not needed to function.
That English-medium reality is Malta's single biggest practical advantage for international students.
Source: https://www.study-abroad.org/blog/mt-student-visa-guide/
Part-time Jobs
For a third-country national pursuing a full-time course leading to a higher-education qualification recognised by MQRIC, employment may be authorised for up to 20 hours per week from the first year of study. The student applies for the work authorisation after the residence permit is issued, and Jobsplus conditions apply.
Students who do not qualify under that higher-education route but are following courses longer than 90 days may have access to employment for a maximum of 20 hours per week only after their first three months of study, and only subject to Jobsplus conditions, including permitted sectors. Do not assume all course types share the same first-year work right.
There is no general official rule in this guidance allowing unlimited or automatic full-time work during academic holidays, so budget around the stated 20-hour ceiling unless Jobsplus/Identità confirms otherwise for your status.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/central-visa-unit-student-visa-employment/
Post-study Work
A qualifying third-country graduate can apply through the Identità Expatriates Portal for the post-study Job-Seeking / Job-Searching category while the Study residence permit remains valid. The route is intended for eligible higher-education graduates and is generally issued for up to nine months. The application fee is EUR 50.
Treat it as a bridge to employment, not as an automatic substitute for a work permit. Once you secure a job, follow the applicable employment/Single Permit process before starting work where authorisation is required. The post-study route is one-time and non-renewable, so apply before the student status expires.
Source: https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/expatriates/non-eu-non-employment/study/
Emergency Numbers
For any emergency, 112 reaches police, ambulance and fire across Malta and the European Union, free from any phone. Everything is in English, an official language, which removes the language barrier entirely. 112 is the single number to remember on the islands.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/consumer-rights-and-complaints/unfair-treatment/112-general-emergency-number_en
Focused Malta guides
Official resources
- Identità (Expatriates Unit) — Official Study residence-permit eligibility, documents and post-study guidance.
- Identità student employment — Official 20-hour work rules for higher-education and other long-course students.
- University of Malta International — University of Malta international-student information.
- MFHEA — Official regulator and provider/qualification framework.
- Identità Expatriates Portal — Official funds formula, application fees and residence-permit questions.
- Tallinja — Current Tallinja fares and which services are included in free travel.
- Identità health-insurance requirements — Official EUR 100,000 insurance requirement and institutional exemptions.